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Author Topic: Size Hooks?  (Read 2794 times)

Offline brookiechaser

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Size Hooks?
« on: Jan 30, 2013, 06:48 AM »
Headed up to a lake opening this weekend. I generally use size 4 snell hooks the big togue I have caught were barely lip hooked which is good because I could release them nice and quick but have lost more than caught. Should I be using a bigger hook like a size 2..fishing with 4+" Shiners and suckers I hate leaving a hook in a fish do circle hooks work well ice fishing..If so what size?  Thanks
Kids screaming and chasing flags...... that is what it is about!

Offline MEhunter

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #1 on: Jan 30, 2013, 06:50 AM »
Headed up to a lake opening this weekend. I generally use size 4 snell hooks the big togue I have caught were barely lip hooked which is good because I could release them nice and quick but have lost more than caught. Should I be using a bigger hook like a size 2..fishing with 4+" Shiners and suckers I hate leaving a hook in a fish do circle hooks work well ice fishing..If so what size?  Thanks

Size 8s here. The last thing I want is a big hook hanging out of my bait. Keep it small IMO. Circles do work well as well.
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Offline JDK

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #2 on: Jan 30, 2013, 06:58 AM »
Size 8s here. The last thing I want is a big hook hanging out of my bait. Keep it small IMO. Circles do work well as well.

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Offline outdoorsman7617

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #3 on: Jan 30, 2013, 07:00 AM »
I find that size 6 and 4 work well for togue.

Offline brookiechaser

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #4 on: Jan 30, 2013, 07:48 AM »
Thanks I was always under.the impression that small worked well. I always felt lakers were kind of.like striped bass and finicky when it came to feeling big hooks in the bait
Kids screaming and chasing flags...... that is what it is about!

Offline outdoorsman7617

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #5 on: Jan 30, 2013, 07:57 AM »
Size 8s here. The last thing I want is a big hook hanging out of my bait. Keep it small IMO. Circles do work well as well.
Do you find that size 8s work well for brookies and browns as well? I use 6 because whenever I have flags with size 8s the fish never take it, I was thinking it was because the hook was to small

Offline Ross Lake Camps

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #6 on: Jan 30, 2013, 08:45 AM »
It's all about the presentation. Size 8's are great because they are easy to hide in the bait and little damage if hooked properly.

Offline MEhunter

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #7 on: Jan 30, 2013, 08:51 AM »
Do you find that size 8s work well for brookies and browns as well? I use 6 because whenever I have flags with size 8s the fish never take it, I was thinking it was because the hook was to small

I don't fish for brookies really, but they work fine on browns as well as the brookies I have caught.
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Offline brookiechaser

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #8 on: Jan 30, 2013, 08:57 AM »
When trolling for togue I have taken a needle and run line  down through bait out the back side and put a treble on and then feed the eye of the treble into the fish. two of the hooks fit on side of fish with one pointing down. Ever try that ice fishing or with just a single hook. I have had good luck with size 6 for salmon and trout
Kids screaming and chasing flags...... that is what it is about!

Offline gamefisher

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #9 on: Jan 30, 2013, 08:58 AM »
I guess I'm a little against the grain on this one because I use Eagle Claw wide gap #4's due to the wide variety of fish we have here.  I get very few gut hooked fish with these and makes releasing a little easier imo. :tipup:

Offline outdoorsman7617

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #10 on: Jan 30, 2013, 09:49 AM »
I don't fish for brookies really, but they work fine on browns as well as the brookies I have caught.
Do you find you gut hook more fish with bigger or smaller hooks?

Offline MEhunter

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #11 on: Jan 30, 2013, 09:58 AM »
When trolling for togue I have taken a needle and run line  down through bait out the back side and put a treble on and then feed the eye of the treble into the fish. two of the hooks fit on side of fish with one pointing down. Ever try that ice fishing or with just a single hook. I have had good luck with size 6 for salmon and trout

That's kind of what i do when trolling as well. I've done it on the ice when fishing a big dead bait to try and give it more of a natural look when floating. Never done it with a live bait

Do you find you gut hook more fish with bigger or smaller hooks?

Haven't fishing anything bigger than a 6 in a while. If i bring the fish to the hole and can't see the hook I just cut the line. Not sure if they are gut-hooked or just hooked deeper in the mouth, try not to do much poking and probing.
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Offline Sawyerjosh

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #12 on: Jan 30, 2013, 10:52 AM »
All I know is my brother says my hooks are too big!   :%$#!:

Offline outdoorsman7617

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #13 on: Jan 30, 2013, 10:58 AM »
All I know is my brother says my hooks are too big!   :%$#!:
I use mostly size 6 hooks, but when I go pike or striper fishing that's a different story. My uncle tells me the same thing, but at least we are ready for when the giants come through haha

Offline Sawyerjosh

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #14 on: Jan 30, 2013, 11:10 AM »
no matter what I am fishing for, I always like at least one big bait on, so always have at least 1 or 2 big hooks.  Just kinda drives him nuts that each of my traps has a different hook on it and my leaders....  well let's just say I'm not much of a trout guy for a reason!  That's ok, I can jig like a mad man!

Offline Alex Delarge

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #15 on: Jan 30, 2013, 11:43 AM »
I usually use #6 for brook trout/salmon. When I go for togue, I put on #4's if I have big bait. I don't mind biting off my leaders on gut hooked fish I wish to release. Usually have several spare hooks on leaders ready to go.
OT, I often wonder how well (if at all) the fish survives with a hook in its' gut, mouth, or gill? I often heard that the hook begins to dissolve in a few days. I hope this is true cause I frequently leave the hook in on released fish unless I can remove it quickly with ease.
It must be something in the water.

Offline Sawyerjosh

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #16 on: Jan 30, 2013, 11:58 AM »
I've cut open fish with rubber worms in them, but never found one with a hook inside it...  The must either dissolve/rust or the fish dies, one or the other...

Offline JDK

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #17 on: Jan 30, 2013, 12:02 PM »
Caught in late July.  I have no way of knowing for sure but I suspect it was released during icefishing season.



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Offline outdoorsman7617

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #18 on: Jan 30, 2013, 12:15 PM »
I've cut open fish with rubber worms in them, but never found one with a hook inside it...  The must either dissolve/rust or the fish dies, one or the other...
Usually over time the hook works itself out

Offline woodchip

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #19 on: Jan 30, 2013, 12:20 PM »
Big fish Big hooks,Small hooks small fish.   size six Bait hook.....

Offline icefisha22

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #20 on: Jan 30, 2013, 01:08 PM »
I usually use #6 for brook trout/salmon. When I go for togue, I put on #4's if I have big bait. I don't mind biting off my leaders on gut hooked fish I wish to release. Usually have several spare hooks on leaders ready to go.
OT, I often wonder how well (if at all) the fish survives with a hook in its' gut, mouth, or gill? I often heard that the hook begins to dissolve in a few days. I hope this is true cause I frequently leave the hook in on released fish unless I can remove it quickly with ease.

I used to think it dissolved, but did some research and found out differently. The hooks do rust, but take a long time to do so. It is more likely that the fish (Gut hooked) will work out the hook by eating and swimming around with it for awhile. obviously not all fish will survive, but they have a better chance than if they get thrown on the grill!  as for gill hooked fish, i tend to think that they wont make it so i try to only keep the ones that are gill hooked and bleeding badly.  Also, i have caught bass in the summertime that had hooks coming out of their butts, implying that bigger fish (bass anyways) can pass hooks through their system.
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Offline brookiechaser

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #21 on: Jan 30, 2013, 02:27 PM »
The whole hook working its way out is what brought me to start this topic. I was looking in my bag and found a few old hooks that I know I have had at least a couple years..they were rusty and dull but were still solid..tried breaking one with hands and couldn't't. I know asking for a trip to ER for hook removal and tetanus shot  :P. But was thinking of fish, I rarely keep a fish unless bleeding or feel like eating one. I was thinking a bigger hook may have a better chance of a lip hook vs a deep hook. Also if anyone has fished with circle hooks when ice fishing how do you set the hook. When bait fishing for strippers I let then run then just start reeling and hook slips nicely into corner of mouth. Do you just start pulling in the fish while he is running to get the set? Trying to cut back on gut hooked fish
Kids screaming and chasing flags...... that is what it is about!

Offline Alex Delarge

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #22 on: Jan 30, 2013, 02:29 PM »
I'll start a topic in the general section on hooks dissolving, maybe get some good feedback.
It must be something in the water.

Offline SparkyT

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #23 on: Jan 31, 2013, 08:20 AM »
Just kinda drives him nuts that each of my traps has a different hook on it and my leaders....

Doesn't drive me nuts at all - you keep fishing your big hooks and no leaders, and I'll keep catching more trout than you, more 4+ pound bass than you, etc.   :flex:  It's a good thing you like eating perch - you're certainly jigging up plenty of those! 

Offline sorelippin

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #24 on: Jan 31, 2013, 08:35 AM »
I always use 8's for all trout and salmon.  Higher hook up percentage and baits swim better and last longer IMO.  My buddy fishes big hooks and there's good reason I get more flags with something on the end than he does. 

Offline HUNTnFISHSD

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #25 on: Jan 31, 2013, 08:38 AM »
 I prefer the size 4 snelled hook over anything else.

Offline lewk24

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #26 on: Jan 31, 2013, 09:30 AM »
#6 hooks unless I am fishing for pike.

Luke

Offline CB22

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #27 on: Jan 31, 2013, 09:48 AM »
Pretty much use size 6 red hooks for most everything now.  Fishing for pike i will go bigger.  I used to use 10's for trout and switch to 4's for bass and pickerel.  After watching a buddy out fish me with 6's I decided tying more leaders and changing over for every trip just isn't worth it.

This year I have caught salmon, Brookies ranging from 6" -16" and yellow perch. And my son has caught Brookies and largemouth bass on the same set-ups.

I have been thinking about filing down barbs or buying barbless hooks as I have about a 50% gut/throat hook rate and prefer to release when I can. 

Offline HUNTnFISHSD

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #28 on: Jan 31, 2013, 10:27 AM »
 I will not go any smaller than size 4 when pike fishing.

Offline MEyota79

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Re: Size Hooks?
« Reply #29 on: Jan 31, 2013, 10:48 AM »
I use #8s for everything

 



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